Device for attaching and detaching electric bulbs.



J. A. PRICE. DEVICE FOR ATTACHING AND DETACHING ELECTRIC BULBS.

APPLICATION FILED .|UNE18, l9l5. 1,210,835.

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Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

the following JosEPH '-ALExANnEnrnrcE, :or` NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEvIcE ronI ATTACHING- AND DE'rAcHING ELECTRIC' BULBS.

To all whom z't may concern: v

Be it known thatvI, JOSEPH ALEXANDER PRICE, a citizen .of Scotland,vresiding atI New York, in .the-county 'of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new vand useful 'Improvements in Devices forAttachingandv Detaching Electric Bulbs, of which the'following is aspecification. y

Thisinvention relates to devices for attaching and detaching` electricbulbs, especially where the 'bulbs cannot be conveniently reachedfromthe iioor.

An object of the invention is to Aprovide a device which is equallyadaptable'for use with bulbs dependin from the ceiling, etc., orprojecting lateral y from thel wall.

Another object residesin the provisionlof mechanically expansible andcontractible bulb engaging members, the latter f being likewiseinherently expansible and contractible,'to accommodate vvarious siz'esof bulbs therein, through the medium of the lsame component parts. n

Other objects as well as the nature,y characteristic features and scopeof my' invention will be more readily understood from description takenin connection with the accompanying Vdrawings and pointed out-in theclaims forming a part of this specification. l Y

AReferring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of thedevice constructed in accordancey with my invention and illustrating itsapplication, Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the device,showing to advantage the interior of the housing and the `detailsassociated therewith, Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through thehousing of my improved device, a portion thereof being shown infragmentary-section to disclose details, this view likewise'illustratingthe application of the invention, Fig. 4 is a detaill enlargedfragmentary sectional view ofthe device' illustrating to advantagethemanner in vwhich the bulb engaging member is mechanically contracted,Fig. 5 is a detailenlarged y fragmentary sectional view of the standardand handles used in the present invention, illustrating the manner ofassociation of the same, Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line6-6 of Fig. 1, Fig. 7 is a detail enlarged perspective view of therotatable cap with which the bulb embracing member is engaged, and Fig.8 is a detail enlarged perspective fragmentary View of the housing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

' Application ined-June 18, 1915. s''riai iva-34,880.

The device embodies a tubular standard 1, the upper' end of whichsupports a housing 2, the latterbeing of a rectangular configurationandhaving one side thereof removable, whereby access may be had to theyinterior of the housing. A stud 3 is arranged on the top ofthe housing2, and is adapted for engagement with the bulb -embracing memberhereinafter described. 1Apin 4 extends 'transversely througlrthe stud 3and appreciably beyond the outer periphery of the latter atdiametrically opposite points.v

A shaft 5 is rotatably mounted in the tubular standard 1, the lower endof which is reduced and screw-threaded as indicated at 6 and shown toadvantage in Fig. 5, for screw-threaded Vengagement in a handle 7, thelatter being of any desired configuration, soas to lbe conveniently.grasped by the hand oftheuser ofthe device, topermit rotation oftheyshaft 5 with lwhich the handle is associated. yIt will be noted thatthe inner terminalv ofjtheha'ndle 7 is provided `with an annulardepressed portion 8, which receives the lower 4endof the tubularstandard 1. The upperend of said shaft 5 has a beveled gea-r 9 ixedlyengaged therewith, the gear 9V comeshing with a beveled Apinion 10, inorder to impart movement to the latter, when 4the shaft 5,is rotated. Asillustrated to advantage in Fig. 2, the gear 9 is engaged with-the lowerend of the housing, while'the gear 10 is engaged with one side thereof,said latter gear Lbeing provided with a threaded bore which is engagedin screwthreaded relationwith the threaded shank 11 of a tubular shaft12. The threaded end 11 of the shaft 12 extends laterally beyond oneside of the housing 4and is in threaded engagement with a nut 13, thelatter having pintles 14 extending from its periphery for a purposehereinafter set forth. The other end of theshaft 12 is extended throughan opening in the opposite wall of the housing with which the gear 10 isengaged, and has threaded t'hereonasnut 16, the latter providing abearing for the shaft 12 and being loosely mounted through an opening inthe housing. As illustrated to advantage in Fig. 2. the gear 10 isthreaded on the shaft 12 as far as possible, after which the nut isrotated into intimate contact with said gear, so as to prevent movementof the latter independently of the shaft 12.

The bulb embracing member is generally designated. in the drawings at1'? and consists of a capv19, preferably rofl-afcylindrical'v l 'engagedwith the shank 19, so as to provide i outwardly soy as to facilitate isexerted on the a substantially ovoid structure, 'when the fingers areall in assembled relation, as illustrated to advantage in Figs. 1 and`3. The outer terminals offthe fingers 20 arelared with an'electricbulb, the latter cated in the drawings atY 21. It understood that thelingers inherently resilient nature, so as to be adaptable for usewithelectric bulbs of various sizes. It is well known, however, thatwith inherently resilient members the same are very readily distorted byconstant use, so as to be'rendered unsuitable for use, after acomparatively short length of timefor use in connection with smallerobjects, and .for this reason av mechanical means is provided forcontracting the fingers 20, andrpermitting the latter to beautomatically expanded being indils of course, 20 are of an vruponretraction of `the mechanical means.

The mechanical means in the present instance embodies a sleeve 22,havingan internally screw-threaded portion for .threaded engagement with theshank 19, and movable on the latter for contracting the vlingers 20, asillustrated to advantage in Fig. 4. It will be noted that the bore onthe outer end of the sleeve 22 is flared so as to facilitate contractionof the lingers 20, when pressure sleeve 22, for operating the latterinto engagement with the fingers.

In use, therefore assuming that it is desired to use the device inconnection with laterally projecting electric bulbs, the bulb embracingmember 17 is slidably engaged with the nut 13, and in order to preventtheldisplacement of the member from said nut, a bayonet -groove 23 hasbeen formed in the cap 18 of said embracing member, which is adapted toreceive the members 14 Copies of this patent may be obtained for fivecents each, by addressing the '.C'oniniiissioner vof Patents Washington,D. C.

2 is open, while the opposite engagementy therein. After this operation,pressure is exerted on the handle end 7 of the device, so astorotatetheV shaft 5, consequently imparting movement to the comeshing gears9.and- 10 Vfor communicating Vmovement to the bulb embracing member inorder to rotate the lbulb in the desired direction.` If desired toremove bulbs depending from a ceiling, etc., the bulb embracing member17 is engaged with they stud 3, and the member 4 of said stud engaged inthe bayonet grooves 23 of the cap18, in order to preventl casualdisplacement .of thelatten 'In this instance, fthe entire device isbodily movable, member, which is superimposed onfthe housing 2, forrotating said bulb embracing member, the direction of movement of thedevice. i

It will be understoodthat the vabove description and accompanying`drawings .comprehend only-the general and perferred embodiment of myinvention and that various minor changes in details of construction,proportion and arrangement of parts may be made within the scope of theappended claims without sacrificing any of the ad-v vantages of myinvention.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claimv as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. A device for attaching and detaching electric bulbs including abulbembracing thereby rotatingthe bulb embracing member', means inconnection with said member 'for rotating the latter,v a housingVV forcompletelyV inclosing saidV means, and.

secondary means for imparting movement to the aforementioned means.

2. A device for attachingand detaching electric bulbs including apolygonal housing, a bulb `embracing member in connection with one Araceofthe housing and movable independently of the latter for use inconnection with laterally extending bulbs, and means mounted onanother'face of thehousing to receive said member, the latter adapted tomove as an entirety with the housing for use with vertically dependingbulbs. Y,

In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOSEPH ALEXANDER PRICE. Witnesses: Y i GEO. A. BACON, MARGABETVM.REYNOLDS.

